Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) — Chapter 31

Watching for riches consumeth the flesh, and the thought thereof driveth away sleep. Anxiety about wealth destroys physical health. Lapide treats this as a medical and moral observation: the pursuit of riches is a disease of both body and soul.

Blessed is the rich man that is found without blemish, and that hath not gone after gold. The rare beatitude of the rich man who resists riches: Lapide calls him a wonder of creation, citing Chrysostom: \"Who has seen this? Let us praise him!\" He applies this to the few rich saints who truly used wealth as a means rather than an end.

If thou sit at a great man's table, open not thy mouth first, and say not: There are many things here. Restraint at table: the first rule is not to be forward. Lapide develops an entire etiquette of virtuous table manners grounded in the virtue of temperance and social charity.

Understand the things that thy neighbour's are and so begin thyself. Self-regulation at table begins from empathy: attend to others' needs before one's own. Lapide notes that this principle of social charity transforms a simple meal into an exercise in charity and humility.

Woe to you that drink wine to excess; and let your neighbour be careful of you. Drunkenness is condemned in its social dimension: the drunkard is dangerous to his neighbors. Lapide reviews the long biblical condemnation of drunkenness from Noah to the Proverbs to the New Testament.

Wine was created from the beginning to make men joyful and not to make them drunk. Wine drunk with moderation is the joy of the soul and the heart. Wine is a divine gift when used moderately; it becomes a curse when abused. Lapide cites this as the classic Scriptural teaching distinguishing lawful use from sinful excess.